1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a microscope apparatus and, more particularly, relates to a fluorescent stereomicroscope.
2) Description of the Related Art
Stereomicroscopes are widely used in the field of biochemistry; because, the stereomicroscopes enable stereoscopic observation of samples of various sizes and even living specimens.
However, if the sample is thin and, particularly, if a lot of such samples are present in a culture medium, because there is no visible contrast between the samples and the background, it becomes difficult for an observer to identify individual samples.
One approach is to provide a shade between an area-light source, which emits uniform area light on the sample, and the sample and continuously adjust the light of the area-light source that is incident directly on an object lens (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. H11-133308).
Other approach is use a fluorescent stereomicroscope. In the case of the fluorescent stereomicroscope, a GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) dye that emits fluorescence is applied on the sample so that the sample itself becomes fluorescent and emits light.
The eel worm is the example of thin sample. The eel worms are useful for the research of expression pattern of genes because cell lineage for all cells of the eel worm is already known. By applying a GFP dye on a specific ones (dyed eel worms) of a plurality of living eel worms (non-dyed eel worms), it becomes possible to carry out ecological observation of the dyed eel worm.